Electric auxiliary brake release



May 11 1926.

H. Mf-kZ-{EGLER ELECTRIC AUXILIARY BRAKE RELEASE Filed Oct 7, 1925 Patented May 11, 1926. W i 1,534,418 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY M. ZIEGLER, OF SALINA, KANSAS.

ELECTRIC AUXILIARY BRAKE RELEASE. Application filed October "I, 1925. Serial No, 61,020;

In the operation of air brake systems on The upper portion of the valve plug 6 railway cars the triple valves at times get has an extension '18, which constitutes the out of order and fail to permit the comcore of a solenoid secured to the lower pressed air in the brake cylinders to escape cylinder head 22. The solenoid 20 has a 60 5 when the engineers valve is adjusted to runcentral opening 24 extending therethrough ning position, or a leaky train pipe may for the passage of air under pressure to a cause the air pressure to build up in the piston 26, operably mounted in the upper brake cylinders and cause the brakes to creep portion of the casing 2. The piston 26 is on and cause more or less damage while provided with a pair of fixedly mounted 65 th train i running, contacts 28 and 30, which are connected to By the use of my invention-provision is the terminals 32 and 34, respectively, of made for allowing the compressed air to the solenoid winding 36. escape from the brake cylinders throughout The upper ends of the contacts 28" and such times as the engineers valve is set in project into the lower ends of tubular 79 running position, thereby positively eficetguides 38 and 40, respectively, consisting of ing release of the brakes and preventing iiber or other insulation and secured in the them from creeping on as above-mentioned. upper cylinder head 42. The guides 38 and In order that my invention may be fully 40 are provided with contacts 44 and 46 understood, reference will now be had to the connected by wires 48 and 50 to mains 52 7 accompanying drawing, i which: and 54, respectively, which are connected to Fig. 1 is a diagram of that portion of an a generator, storage battery, or other source air brake system to which my invention i of electrical energy, not shown. The main applied. a 52 is connected at one end to a switch blade Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of a relief 56, while the main 54 is connected to a valve and associated parts constituting im- SW1tch contact 58 adapted to be engaged by portant features of the invention. said blade 56.

Referring now in detail to the different The switch blade 56 is insulated from but parts, A designates an air brake cylinder; B mounted upon the lever I of the engineers a triple valve which is connected to said valve G, while the contact 58 is insulated 35 30 brake cylinder A; G a branch pipe leading from but fixedly mounted upon the casing from the train line, not shown, to the triple of said valve Gr. valve B; D a pipe leadingfrom the auXil- Coil springs 60 are interposed between the iary reservoir, not shown, to the triple valve cylinder headl42 and the piston 26 to yield- B; E an exhaust pipe leading from the ably hold the latter down upon an annular 9 35 triple valve B; F an air retaining valve on shoulder 62 arranged inside of the casing 2, the discharge end of the exhaust pipe E; for the purpose of yieldably holding the and G the engineers valve. The foregoing contacts 28 and 30 out of engagement with mechanism may beof any well known type .;the contacts 44 and 46, respectively. and in which the triple valve B performs In practice, when the brakes are applied the usual functionof admitting and releasa portion of the compressed air admitted to ing compressed air from the brake eylin- ,thelbrake cylinder A escapes through the der A pipe 10, andpassing upwardly through the Referring now more particularly to my valve 4 and the opening 24 in the solenoid, invention, 2 designates a cylindrical casing impinges against'the underside of the piston 45 provided at one end with a valve 4 having 26, thereby forcing the same upwardly until a self-closing plug 6. The valve 4 is we the contacts 28 and 30 engage the companion vided with an inlet port 8 having direct contacts 44 and 46, respectively. Shouldthe communication with the interior of the brakes fail to release when the engineers brake cylinder A at a point in front of the valve G is adjusted to running position, due 1 piston H through a pipe 10, and an outlet to a faulty triple valve B or other defect in port 12 communicatlng with the pipe E the air brake system, resulting in retention through a pipe 14. The inlet port 8 is at of the air under pressure in the brake cylinall times in communication with the inder A, the valve plug 6 is attracted from its terior of the casing 2 through longitudinal seat by the magnetism of the solenoid 20, grooves 16 in the enlarged portion of the which becomes energized as the switch blade valve plug 6. 52 engages the contact 58 at the time the plug 6 permits the compressed air to escape to restore the piston m tting the spring K release the brakes.

I- to normal and thus lVhen the circuit is closed by the switch blade 52, the contacts 58, 28, 30, 44 and 46, the current flows through the main 52, wire 48, the solenoid winding 36, wire 50, and the. main 24 and energizes said winding 36, as above referred to. After the air under pressure has escaped from the brake cylinder A, as above described, the springs 60 force the piston 26 down upon the shoulder 62. As the piston 26 moves downwardly it carries the contacts 28 and 30 out of engagement with the contacts 44 and 46, thereby opening the circuit and deenergizing the solenoid 2f), whereupon the valve plug 6 drops to closed position. 1 The cylinder 2 and its associate parts are preferably applied to each car of a train, but t e may of the train disconnected at the time the cars are coupled or uncoupled. In instances where the triple valve B- exhausts directly to atmosphere instead of through the pipe E and valve F, the pipe 14 may be ispensed with to allow the valve 4 to discharge to atmosphere through port 12.

While I have shown and described the preferred form of my invention, I reserve the right to such changes and modifications thereof as properly fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, what Iclaim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: I

1. In combination with the brake cylinder of an air brake system, an electric circuit, means adapted to be actuated by air under pressure from said brake cylinder and partially close said circuit, manually controlled means for completing the closure of said circuit, valve-opening means which is energized by the circuit when the same is closed, and a valve which is opened by said valveopening means and permits air to escape from the brake cylinder.

2. In combination with the brake cylinder of an air brake system, a casing communicating with said brake cylinder, an electric circuit, means within said casing adapted to be actuated by air under pressure from the brake cylinder and partially close said circuit, a

of the valve .municating with switch for completing the same is closed,

. is opened by said valve-opening means and permits air to escape from the brake cylinder and the casing.

3. In combination with the brake cylinder of an air brake system, a casing comsaid brake cylinder, a piston operably mounted in said casing and adapted to be moved incne direction by air under pressure from the brake cylinder, an electric circuit which is partially closed by said piston as the same is actuated by the air under pressure, manually-controlled means for completing the closure of said circuit, magnetic means which is energized when the circuit is closed, and a normally closed valve controlling an air outlet from the casing and the brake cylinder and which is opened by said magnetic means when the same is energized.

4. In combination with the brake cylinder and engineers valve of an air brake system, a casing communicating with said brake cylinder, a piston operably mounted within said casing and adapted to be moved in one direction by air under pressure from said brake cylinder, an electric circuit which is partially closed by said piston as the same is actuated by the air under pressure, a switch actuated by the engineers valve to complete the closure of said circuit when the engineers valve is adjusted to running position, means which is energized when the circuit is closed, and a normally closed valve controllin an air outlet from the casing and the brake cylinder and which is opened when said means is energized. p

In an air brake system, a casing, a valve communicating with said casing and the atmosphere, a piston mounted in said casing, contacts carried by said piston, magnetic means connected to said contacts and adaptopen said valve, and the casing and arthe first-mentioned HENRY M; ZIEGLER. 

